Object

Representation ID: 16744

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: Mr John Chorley

Black Country plan Walsall Longwood lane and
Aldridge road

Yesterday was the first me I became aware of the plans for 220 and 440 homes respectively, despite living just off [redacted - GDPR] and within easy walking distance of both areas. I think that this is a shocking failure of Walsall MBC and the consultation period should be extended
for the following reasons;
it is clear that there has been no attempt to consult with the immediate neighbourhoods
In order to provide access to these two areas, extensive development of Longwood lane would be needed to straighten and widen the road, which is heavily used by HGVs moving from Aldridge to the M6/M5interchange as well as local commuting traffic which makes the Sutton Road a continuous stream of traffic between 08.00 and 10.00, 16.00 and 18.00 with heavy use for the rest of the day, with a pinch point at the Sutton Road, Longwood lane junction.
It can be reasonably expected that building 440 + 220 houses in the area would increase traffic by at least 600 cars as most households in the area have two vehicles per household.
Building a community is not as simple as building houses, other facilities would be needed, such as nurseries, schools, shops, doctors. The current infrastructure in the area hardly supports the community as it is!
The destruction af an amenity that is often called the 'lungs of Walsall', where for many children it is the only opportunity to see cattle and sheep grazing. There would also be an impact on wildlife in the area.
The potential run off from housing estates that pollute the water courses and lakes, a classic example of that is Park Hall Lake , in between the Sutton Road and the Birmingham road, where the lake, I have on hood authority has been polluted by the connection of domestic washing machines to the storm drains that empty into the pool, something that should never
be allowed but is impossible to control.
It seems as though there has been little evidence of alternatives considered, in particular the replacement of redundant shopping areas with townhouses and brownfield sites that remain overgrown for years.
This is a brief complaint based on the poor communication process of Walsall MBC and I formally request an extension to this consultation period